On a scale of 1 to 11, based on the number of bands seen and not on any sort of subjective quality, Day Five of MFNW was a 10. Actually, that might work on a subjective quality scale as well.
The first bit of good news was that the first daytime KEXP performance at the Doug Fir was at 12:00 noon, not 10:30 a.m. as on previous days, allowing me a little more time to sleep in and prepare for the day. When I finally got to the Fir a little after 11, there was already a line, albeit a short one, to see thee first act, New Jersey's Titus Andronicus. Here's the band's Patrick Stickles wearing a Titus Andronicus t-shirt.
Titus Andronicus kicked off the day, almost literally, with a powerful set of punk anthems, including a pair of songs no longer than 45 seconds each. That and a couple cups of Stumptown Coffee were enough to awaken even this tired MFNW participant. Banter line of the day goes to Stickles for "I didn't start a punk-rock band so that I'd have places to be at 11 in the morning."
As they had all week, KEXP had a full slate of fine bands for their daytime performances, but on Saturday I didn't stick around for anything after Titus Andronicus. Instead, I took a bus uptown to Mississippi Studios for a MFNW party by Oregon Public Broadcasting, an annual event. Last year, I arrived in time to hear the last song by the last band playing, Menomena. By the time I got there this year, the Portland band The Parson Redheads were already playing (the party started at noon), but it was still early in the day.
We've seen The Parson Redheads once before, opening at The Earl for another Portland band, Viva Voce, during Rocktober 2011. I don't remember much about the 2011 performance, other than the vibe in the dark and smoky Atlanta nightclub was very different than the sun-filled patio of Mississippi Studios.
The beer and drinks were free thanks to OPB, but I still left Mississippi Studios to get something to eat (they were serving food, but all the tables were taken and the lines were ridiculously long). Fortunately, I got back in time to catch the set by Tibourones, the side project of Luz Elena Mendoza of Y La Bamba (far right). Their music was as bright and joyful as the patio was sunny and warm.
A side note about the weather: it only rained for a couple of hours all week, on Thursday, which must have been a drag for those at Pioneer Courthouse Square to see Youth Lagoon and Young the Giant, but I was at the Marmoset party with its tents and warehouse space and wasn't much affected. I did get rained on waiting for the bus to take me back downtown after the party and later walking back to my hotel after the Austra performance, but I had a raincoat and didn't much mind. Other than that there was no rain, although the skies were cloudy and overcast since Tuesday. Today, however, the sun finally decided to join the festivities, and the weather was as nice as one could possibly expect: warm (70s), low humidity, and sunny.
But having said all that, the next Mississippi Studios performance was inside, but by the sunny, optimistic Radiation City (they sound almost the exact opposite of what their name implies). We've seen Radiation City before at the Earl and at the Marmoset party, and I've spotted members of the band all over town at various MFNW performances, but their set at Mississippi Studios was the best I've heard from them yet - stunning, happy pop for a lovely day. I got goose-bumps from their perfect harmonies several times during the set.
The Radiation City set headlined the OPB party, which is to say it was over after their performance, leaving me enough time to go back to my room and get cleaned up for the evening's Pioneer Courthouse Square performances.
At every Pioneer Courthouse Square concert I've been to for the three consecutive MFNWs, I've always sat in the exact same spot - on the steps, toward the right (facing the stage). It's not too far back, but is high enough up to allow one to see over even the tallest member of the audience, plus the spot is against a wall allowing one a backrest or, if standing, does not cause you to block anyone else's view. It's my usual, borderline compulsive, spot to watch Pioneer Square shows, sort of like the first riser at Atlanta's Variety Playhouse.
Today, when I arrived, there was a couple already sitting in my spot. They were surrounded by backpacks and food, appearing for all the world like they had no intention of eventually moving anywhere else. However, I also noticed that there were very few people up by the stage, so few that it even appeared possible that I might be able to grab some rail space. As it turned out, I didn't get the rail, but was only a few people back from the front for the performance by Deep Sea Diver, Jessica Dobson's (currently also with The Shins) band.
We last saw Deep Sea Diver, twice, during Bumbershoot 2012, but several of Deep Sea Diver's catchy, hook-filled songs still sounded familiar and as good as ever. The band plays flawlessly and this is an act with a lot of potential for success. I wish them well, they're deserving of wider recognition.
We last saw Thao and The Get Down Stay Down, twice, last Saturday during Bumbershoot 2013. Several of their songs still sounded familiar, etc. Hell, at this point I'm so familiar with their set, I could probably fill in for a member of the band (if only I could play anything). Thao's sexy but quirky stage presence and terrific, enjoyable songs always sound good, and I look forward to seeing her again next month, when her tour brings her back to Atlanta.
When Thao comes to Atlanta, she'll be touring with the next band that was up on the Pioneer Square stage, The Head and the Heart. Since we last saw them, at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, they've released a new album, and they played several songs from that new album. This, of course, is always a difficult time for any band with an immensely popular, previous album - fans only want to hear the old songs and aren't particularly receptive to the new. When TH&TH played an old song, there was hand-clapping and sing-alongs; when they played a new song, you would have been able to hear crickets in the background (if it weren't for the joyful and exuberant sound of the band themselves). The new songs will probably eventually grow on fans, but until then the set highlights were their standards such as Lost In My Mind and Sounds Like Hallelujah.
For their encore, each of the three principal singers in the band came on stage and performed one solo song each, and then the rest of the band joined them on stage for the fan favorite (and old song) Down In the Valley.
The good news about leaving my comfort zone behind and standing near the stage was that I got a terrific, close-up view of three fine bands. The bad news was that I was standing on my already sore feet for another 4 1/2 hours. On the one hand, part of the reason that I found last night's performance by Animal Collective less than compelling may have been because I was sitting way back at my usual spot and removed from the concert experience, back by the food vendors and talkative people and not immersed in the music, while tonight, standing up close, my mind was more engaged in the show. On the other hand, however, my poor feet were sorely looking forward to getting to the Roseland Theater after The Head and The Heart performance so that I could find a seat up in the balcony and relax.
It didn't work out that way. The Roseland was at capacity, and I wouldn't have even gotten in if it weren't for my VIP wristband. But once inside, I had to wait in line for the entire set by the first band, the drone-metal act Earth, to get up into the balcony. From the line at the back of the room, I couldn't focus much on Earth's performance, and it sounded like they were just playing the exact same riff over and over for 40 minutes (I strongly suspect it would have sounded the same even if I had been paying more attention).
I was finally allowed up into the balcony during the break between acts, but there were no available seats to be found. I had to stand leaning against the balcony wall for the next set, a magnificent performance by post-rock collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
The entire Godspeed set consisted solely of the song Mladic from their latest album, and the band didn't even take the stage until almost 20 minutes into the set, instead just allowing the instruments to hum on stage. When they finally did come on stage, they built the song up very slowly at first, employing dissonant violin and a bowed acoustic bass as they slowly reached the crescendo, when the drums and electric guitars kicked in. A mind-bending series of film and video projections were displayed behind the band as they played, with the film stopping from time to time so that the cells would burn and melt on screen, but otherwise the band played in darkness and I couldn't even tell how many musicians were on stage (I approximated at least about eight). Overall, it was a powerful and visceral experience, a unique performance by a unique band in a unique setting.
It was also two more hours on my sore feet, and ordinary persons might have called it a night then and there, but I still managed to catch a crosstown bus over the river to The Bunk Bar to see a performance by the band Love As Laughter.
There was a big crowd in the small club, and since The Bunk Bar didn't really have much of a stage as much as a space set aside on the floor for the performers, it was hard to see the band unless you were standing right in front of them. Still, I managed to find an empty barstool with a sight-line to the stage, but no matter how I sat, my knees still stuck out into the crowded club, and everyone was having a difficult time climbing over or squeezing past me. Despite the comfort of sitting, I eventually stood back up for the remainder of the set.
Love As Laughter was followed by Sonny & The Sunsets. Sonny led the band in a set that was all over the place, from 60's-style rock ala Shannon & The Clams to alt-folk to punk to rockabilly, and with everything in between. The audience ate it all up, as well they should, dancing and cheering and transforming the set into a joyful, communal experience.
It was nearly 1:00 a.m, by the time Sonny & The Sunsets were done, and public transit had pretty much ended for the night. I had to take a long walk home, including a walk across a lonely and desolate Morrison Bridge, a spooky proposition for an out-of-towner late at night. But I got home safe and sound, and am up and ready for a last and final day of MFNW (Pickwick and Neko Case!).
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